As the amount of information stored by computer systems continues its exponential growth, companies are developing sophisticated information organization methods to aid users in both the storage and retrieval of that information. For example, the simple hierarchical file storage methods wherein files are stored within nested layers of folders makes the task of retrieving files difficult as the number and variety of stored files grows. This difficulty is compounded when files are stored and shared across groups of users, companies, organizations, and so on. Newer techniques, such as those used by document management systems, Intranet systems, Internet systems, etc., often supplement or supplant the simple, hierarchical file system with a category-based approach. Unlike the simple, hierarchical file systems, category-based systems are organized as a tree structure having many category nodes. Documents are indexed in multiple categories so that they may be found by way of multiple category nodes. As a result, different users can locate the same file while applying different logic in their respective searches for the file.
However, while such systems simplify the retrieval of documents, they may add complexity when storing and categorizing documents. For instance, in order for readers/browsers to be able to easily find a previously created document, it should be locatable in a number of different categories, e.g., a document may be categorized by document type (specification, manual, etc.), by content type, by project, and so on. It is advantageous if the creator/editor/author of the document can provide input about the proper categorization, as those most familiar with the content are most likely to accurately judge which categorization is most relevant. In order for the author to participate and for the categorization to be meaningful, the categorization process should be as easy and as comprehensive as possible. But as a particular document system grows in complexity and number of categories, the categorization task can become daunting. The present invention provides a system and methods that address the shortcomings of previous systems.